NOTES ON CULTS, RELIGIONS, CONTROL, AND THE ACQUISITION OF WEALTH.

Yesterday I made some remarks about cults and religion that may have been confusing. Here I'll try to clarify.

Two things emerge: control and the acquisition of wealth. In general the latter, at least most obviously, is in the province of cults. The former is more fluid in that it is more obviously associated with religions in general as they function as agents of the state in their use of social control. Cults are exploitative too in their use of control but it is more for their own self-aggrandizement and the pursuit of wealth. Or their pathological need for total control of their members.

These are generalizations for the sake of clarity but there is considerable overlap. For instance the Church of Rome has amassed unconscionable wealth that it hoards. But they exist for their own sake.

And not all cults are primarily money machines. The chilling legacies of Jonestown and Heaven's Gate, where everyone ended up committing suicide, are exceptions but they were cults, too. The general definition of a cult is that it is organized around one charismatic leader.

And I hope that this helps clarify rather than confuse. Good day.